Air compressor



June 9, 1942. A. R. MCENTYRE 2,235,823

AIR COMPRESSOR Filed Dec. 25, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l .7 fizzy-in Eni'yr'e f W Z June 9, 1942. MCENTYRE 2,285,823

AIR COMPRESSOR Filed Dec. 23, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 9,1942

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE 2,285,823 AIR coma'assoa Alvin R. McEntyre, Gadsden, Ala. Application December 23, 1941, Serial No. 424,175

4 Claims. (01.230-60) v inner. end of the cylinder I is open, while the This inventionrelates to an air compressor, and it is primarily an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of this kind wherein the operating power is obtained through theuse of a water wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this kind comprising a water wheel including a shaft carrying a series of compressor units togetherwith means comprised in the structure of the wheel for operating said compressor units when the wheel is in rotation.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of this kind including a water wheel embodying the use of a plurality of buoyant elements to facilitate the desired operation of the air compressor units.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved air compressor whereby certain important advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying draw,- ings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of an air compressor constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention, the section being on substantially the line II of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed view, partly in section andpartly in elevation, of one of the compressor units as herein comprised;

Figure 4 is a view in dog unapplied; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation illustrating a modified form of dog.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, I denotes suitable supports for a shaft 2 extending across a raceway and at a desired point above the water level a therein. This shaft 2, or more particularly one end portion thereof, is tubular, as indicated at 3, and in swiveled connection with said shaft 2. as at 4, is a carry-off pipe 5 leading to a suitably positioned storage tank or the like. Fixed to the shaft 2 for rotation therewith is a disk 6 of desired dimensions, and carried by the inner side or face of said disk 6, at equi-distantly spaced points circumferentially therearound are the compressor units C. Each of these units C includes a cylinder 1 in which operates a reciprocating piston 8. The cylinder 1 is rigidly secured to the disk 6 in a manner whereby the piston 8 working therein has movement in a direction radially of the shaft 2. The

perspective of a holding oppositeor outer end is closed by a head 9. This head 9 is provided with an air inlet port Ill normally closed by a conventional non-return or check valve II. The head 9, preferably at its axial center, is also provided with a discharge port l2 from which leads a pipe line 14 which delivers into the shaft 2. This pipe l4. has interposed therein a conventional non-return or check valve l5.

Fixed to the shaft 2 for rotation therewith and spaced longitudinally thereon is a water wheel W. This wheel W as herein disclosed comprises end or head members each having a hub l8 fixed directly to the shaft 2 and from which radiate spokes ll of desired dimensions. These spokes ll are equi-distantly spaced around the hub l6 and have their outer extremities tied or connected by a rim I8. In the present embodiment of my invention the outer extremities of the spokes H are tubular, as at l9, and each of said tubular portions is provided in opposed walls with the longitudinally directed slots 20. These slots 20 are also aligned in a direction lengthwise of the shaft 2, Suitably seated within the opposite extremities of the tubular portion IQ of each of the spokes I! are the bumper members 2| herein disclosed as coil springs of desired length and tension.

Each of the spokes ll of a head or end mem- 'ber is in parallelism with a spoke ll of the second end or head member and interposed between such pair of parallel spokes I1, and substantially bridgingthe space therebetween, is a buoyant member or hollow tank 22. This tank 22 at opposite ends and at the axial center thereof is provided with the outstanding trunnions 23 which are freely directed through the slots 20 of the parallel spokes or arms l1. These trunnions 23 are of a length to extend outwardly beyond the associated parallel spokes H to be engaged by the elongated hook members or dogs 24 pivotally connected, as at 25, to said spokes I1 at a desired point inwardly of the member 22. The dogs 24 are of such lengths and are so mounted upon the spokes l I to engage over the trunnions 23 of the member 22 when said member 22 is at substantially the limit of its movement toward the inner end of the slots 20.

The dogs or hook members 24 fall or drop by gravity into both effective or ineffective positions and. as herein disclosed, the movement of each of such dogs or members 24 to ineffective position is limited by contact of an angular lug 26 carried by the pivoted end of the dog or hook member 24 and extending laterally therefrom. The lug 26 contacts with the inner adjacent portion of a spoke ll when the dog or member 24 drops into ineffective position or has swinging movement away from the spokes ll.

Extending inwardly from each of the members 22, at the longitudinal center thereof, is an elongated arm 21. This arm 21 is substantially radial to the shaft 2 and the inner end thereof is pivotally connected, as at 28, to the inner end portion of an elongated lever 28. This lever 29 is pivotally held, as at 30, between a pair of spaced ears 3| extending inwardly from the hub 6 at opposite sides of a radially disposed slot 32 in said hub. The lever 29 extends out through this slot 32 and the outer end of this lever 29 is pivotally connected, as at 33, to the outer end portion of the piston rod or stem 34 operatively connected, as at 35, in a conventional manner with a piston 8 of a compressor unit C.

As is particularly illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, as the wheel rotates the hook members or dogs 24 associated with the members 22 approaching the water line a will drop by gravity into ineffective position so that the members 22 in succession will move to the outer end portions of the slots-20 through which are disposed the trunnions 23 of the member 22. As this extended member 22 passes'down and forwardly in submergence the force or pressure imposed thereon by the water will move the member 22 inwardly toward the inner end of the slots 20, and which movement is suilicient to eifect a compression stroke of the piston 8 of the associated compressor unit C. When the member 22 reaches substantially the vertical the dogs 24 associated therewith will drop by gravity into effective or holding position, whereby the member 22 is maintained at its innermost position as said member 22 travels upwardly out of the water, and until said member 22 passes its upper vertical, whereupon said members or dogs 24 will drop by gravity into ineffective position. The

bumpers or springs 21 serve to absorb the shocks 7 incident to the shifting of each of the members 22 from one to the other of its positions within the slots 20.

In the embodiment of my invention as illustrated in Figure 5, the dog 36 is shown as being substantially V-shape in form with its apex inwardly. disposed and pivotally connected, as at 31, to a spoke 38 of an adjacent head or end member. The arms 39 of this dog 36 are in desired angular relation and the outer or free end portions thereof are formed to provide the inwardly facing hook members 40. This type of dog is used when the wheel is mounted for operation under the action of the tide and wherein the wheel as a unit will be caused to oscillate.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that an air compressor constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

I claim:

1. An air compressor comprising, in combination, a tubular shaft, a. carry-off line in communication therewith, a water wheel mounted on the shaft and including heads, buoyant members interposed between said heads and engaged with the heads for rotation therewith, said members having independent movement radially of the heads, compressor units carried by the shaft for rotation therewith, there being one unit for each of the radially movable members, each of said units including a cylinder in communication with the tubular shaft and a compressor piston working therein, and an operative connection between a radially movable member and a piston v of a compressor unit for reciprocating the piston upon radial movement of the associated member, the movement of'the member for effecting the compression stroke of the piston being created by the force of the water thereon as said member passes through the water.

2. An air compressor comprising, in combinamember and a piston of a compressor unit for:

reciprocating the piston upon radial movement of the associated member, the movement of the member for effecting the compression stroke of the piston being created by the force of the water thereon as said member passes through the water, and releasable means for holding each of the members at substantially the limit of its compressing travel, said means releasing as the member passes down toward the horizontal and becoming effective when the member moves upwardly beyond the vertical.

3. An apparatus of the class described comprising a shaft, heads fixed on the shaft for rotation therewith, said heads in their peripheral portions being provided with radially disposed slots, members interposed between the heads, trunnions carried by the members and freely extending through the slots of the heads whereby said members are carried by the heads for rotation therewith but having independent movement radially thereof, hook members carriedby the heads to engage the trunnions of the members to hold said members at the limit of their inward movement when said members rotate upwardly toward the horizontal and disengaging the trunnions when the members pass down below the horizontal, com-pressing units rotating with the shaft, and means coacting with each of the members and a compressor unit for operating the unit as the member moves radially of the heads.

4. An apparatus of the class described comprising a shaft, heads fixed to the shaft for rotation therewith, said heads in their peripheral portions being provided with radially disposed slots, members interposed between the heads, trunnions carried by the members and freely extending through the slots of the heads whereby said members are carried by the heads for rotation therewith but having independent movement radially .thereof, hook members carried by the heads to engage the trunnions of the members to hold said members at the limit of their inward movement when said members rotate upwardly toward the horizontal and disengaging the trunnions when the members pass down below the horizontal, compressing units rotating with the shaft, and means coacting with each of the members and a compressor unit for operating the unit as the member moves radially of the heads, each of the hook members being pivotally connected to a head whereby said hook member moves by gravity into either of its positions.

ALVIN R. MCEN'I'YRE.' 

